of months of detailed work. he learned about leads on bin laden's whereabouts last august. tom fitzgerald live at the white house with the latest details. >> reporter: the president's counterterrorism chief told us today that the united states was prepared to take osama bin laden into custody if he did not resist. in fact, he did resist and died as a result of u.s. gunfire. so tonight u.s. officials are crediting a potent one-two punch of expert intelligence and textbook military action, which took out the united states' most wanted enemy. nearly a decade after 9/11, the worldwide man hunt for osama bin laden is finally over. >> the united states has conducted an operation that killed osama bin laden.

>> reporter: red flags were raised when a big compound had no phone or internet. the entire assault took 40 minutes. helicopters dropped navy seals on the complex. osama bin laden was located on the third floor. when he resisted, he was shot and killed. >> here is bin laden who has been calling for the attacks living in million-dollar compound. living in an area that's far removed from the front. hiding behind women who were put in front of him as a shield. i think it just speaks to just how false his narrative has been over the years. >> reporter: osama bin laden's body was removed by u.s. forces, transferred to a ship, and then wrapped in a white sheet and buried at sea. today at a white house ceremony

honoring medal of honor recipients, the president said it was a hard-fought conclusion for a long sought after terrorist. >> the world is safer. it's a better place because of the death of osama bin laden. >> reporter: we now know that the woman who was killed in that assault was osama bin laden's wife. there are other details that u.s. officials are frankly keeping secrets as to what exactly osama bin laden was doing when he was killed and what u.s. forces had to do to get into that complex. these are questions that are up in the air now. some of them may never be answered. >> just one of osama bin laden's many wives. do we have a sense of who is going to take over? >> that's the key question.

they expect eventually this will be a fatal blow to this network. >> thank you. the news that osama bin laden has been killed sparked celebrations around the country. thousands gathered outside the white house cheering and waving flags and even breaking out in the national anthem. emotions are running high at ground zero in new york at the site of the september 11th attacks. many of the people gathering there lost loved ones in the deadly attack.

of course, osama bin laden the force behind 9/11. people have been filing in and out of the september 11th memorial at the pentagon. the scene of flight 77 crash. that flight was hijacked under bin laden's orders. karen gray houston spoke to some people today and got insight about the feelings about the capture and death of osama bin laden. >> reporter: as you know, first responders take their jobs very seriously. they tend to be modest about the role they play in helping people. but all of the firefighters we spoke to who responded to the pentagon were happy to learn osama bin laden is gone. we caught up with them at fire station number 8 on lee highway. a regular day this time. but 9/11 when that hijacked american airline flight went

crashing into the pentagon, it was a day none of them will ever forget. >> that was the biggest call i've ever been on. at that point, you knew you were going to be a part of history. >> reporter: billowing smoke, bits and pieces of a boeing 757, bodies littering the inside of a hole inside the pentagon. the commander said they learned lessons from the terrorists who took those lives. >> there will always be people willing to do those kinds of things. we know that. we practice and prepare for that every day. >> it brings some closure to the families of victims. i feel blessed because i have two family members that work at the pentagon or in conjunction with the pentagon. one worked in the wing that was hit. she was not there. the other one was supposed to

be there for a meeting that day, and she was not there. >> reporter: some of those firefighters thought that bin laden would die of natural causes because they had heard he had been sick. they said they were appalled to learn that he was living in the lap of luxury. they expressed respect for that special opens team that killed him. there may be no such thing as closure, but there is some comfort for the families of victims. beth parker talked with one of those families today. >> reporter: this is todd reuben. the best man giving the toast at his brother's wedding. >> he had everything going for him. it was taken away from him in a split second. >> reporter: he grew up a soccer kid. a father and lawyer killed on the plane that kit the pentagon. at home sunday night, todd's mom got the phone call she's been waiting for. >> they got him.

they got bin laden. >> reporter: they watched on television as people spilled into the streets. >> it was happy to watch all the students and the people in the streets. we felt the same way. >> reporter: that joy faded. like a high and a low. they've got bin laden. thank goodness. but todd is also gone and he'll never be back. that's sort of the sadness that we carry all the time. >> reporter: now the reubens have done everything they can to keep todd's memory alive. in fact, there's a plaque in his honor here at churchill high school where he used to play soccer. it's a way of remembering him not for how he died, but for how he lives. >> i think todd was really a great person. he was a terrific father and a wonderful son. >> reporter: his twin sons were 11 when their father died. they will graduate from college next year. the milestones keep coming.

>> i'm glad on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 that we'll be able to say it's over. >> reporter: the reubens are grateful to those serving in the military for taking on such a dangerous operation. they know as well as anybody how much can be lost. beth parker, fox 5 news. next here a former cia officer joins us to give us an inside look at the operation that took down the world's most wanted terrorist. 

we should not forget that the battle to stop al-qaeda and its syndicate of terror will not end with the death of bin laden. >> a warning from the secretary

of state tonight that the war on terror is far from over. larry johnson is a former cia intelligence officer and served four years in the office of counterterrorism. thanks for joining us. you're well connected. any additional insight into yesterday's operation. >> originally, the cia had the lead in pakistan. but what was surprising about yesterday is president obama's comments that the u.s. military special operations forces had the lead. i've been working with those guys for the last 17 years. i know which units were involved. >> al-qaeda has a hidden nuclear bomb in europe according to wikileaks to unleash a nuclear hell storm if osama bin laden is captured. >> that's nonsense. we have to recognize that our law enforcement, our intelligence service, military, over the last nine years they have been very effective in dismantling al-qaeda. we keep using the term al-qaeda as if it were a giant

corporation with global capability, when in fact when bin laden there were 600 members just before 9/11. we probably killed at least 400. we've been after them ever since. they have not been able to replace the tall spent -- the talent and leadership they had originally. they would like to do us damage, but they haven't carried out an effective strike since 2005. >> let's flip that around. the fbi is warning that the death will inspire home grown extremists here in the united states in the near term. is this one of those tipping point moments for them? >> no. having been in the government and having worked on the issue of threat warnings, if you warn that the worst could happen and see i told you. but if you warn and nothing happens, you're okay. it will cover your posterior

moment. the motion we got sleeper cells throughout the united states and they are just waiting for the chance to strike, what have they been waiting for for the last six years. i would argue we've been far more effective under president bush and president obama in going out and finding, capturing, and killing these guys. we need to focus on that positive. i don't begrudge the homeland security, but let's stop scaring ourselves to death and pretending these guys that these guys have the power. >> larry johnson, thank you for coming in. the news of bin laden's death had a positive impact on the stock market early. we'll look next. . you know that. aww. you're the best, mr. snuggles. [ thinking ] another pet name? you're right, puggle-wuggle! [ voice on phone ] hey, wiggly. all right, i'm smart enough to notice that my favorite fresh-brewed mickey d's sweet tea is now on the dollar menu, along with that juicy mcdouble.

so i'm smart enough for this. you're the best, too... sweet tea... pie? aww, chipmunk. nicely done, chipmunk. [ male announcer ] sweet tea and the mcdonald's dollar menu. the simple joy of being smart. ♪

stocks shrugged off the bin laden news closing down. >> it certainly felt like it was going to be an up day. we started with a bit of a bounce. but a return to reality. higher commodity prices, unemployment, and lingering effects of a weak recovery took hold. just like the jubilant crowds celebrating at the former world trade center site, steps away wall street reacted to the fuse of osama bin laden's death. the stock market opened strong and oil futures an indicator of what we'll eventually pay at the pump were down. >> incorporated in the price of oil is some premium for terrorism. that would have been reduced by that type of news.

as a cone queens, the markets would be looking up because any reduction in the price of oil would be good for consumers who would be good for manufacturers. it's good for everybody. >> the exuberance was brief. the reality was bin laden wasn't the cause of our recession, and traders shifted their focus to earnings and if economic news. >> once you swing it past the good is gone and he deserves what he got, you get back there's 8.8% of people that are unemployed. >> in terms of earning power of american businesses, i don't think that factor should change dramatically because of this. how we feel about the country and what our government has accomplished, it's changed dramatically. >> it will take several more months of positive economic growth for the good feelings to continue. >> there were some bright spots today. construction starts and

manufacturing continued to grow. both could lead to more employment. if hi a nickel every time somebody said i wish i had this weather yesterday. today was spectacular. >> it's not too hot. we got up to 77 degrees. there are still a couple showers trying to struggle through the area. enjoy this evening because this time tomorrow night, we might be busier keeping track of storms getting closer to us on radar. in the meantime, a little bit of a hazy overcast. but it prevented us from getting too hot today. it's going to be a fairly pleasant evening. there's not much showing up, but a little cluster of storms knot of winchester. not a lot there, but watch to your northwest. a spotty to isolated shower is

in the forecast for you tonight. i don't think these are going to have good luck making these across the interstate. temperature wise, get ready for a warm one. average is 71. we were 77 degrees today. headed for 82 degrees tomorrow. and a little bit of an uptick in humidity, which will provide an unstable atmosphere. 62 degrees on wednesday. obviously, it's a front that's got a little punch to it. it's going to drop temperatures by 20 degrees. still on the coolish side on thursday. close to average. friday a temperature of about 70 degrees. but we are going to focus on the temperature today. 77 degrees. dew points were in the low 60s. not humid, but it's noticeable when it's out there. tomorrow will be the same deal. you can see what i'm talking about with this in motion. there's not a lot to watch. it's a line through pennsylvania. but lots more to come.

this is what will be in our area tomorrow night. most of this riding along a system that's slow to move eastward. an area of low pressure will form on it and begin sending that moisture in our direction. let's get the timing down for you. we'll go through most of the day dry. by this time tomorrow night, we'll see some showers and some thunderstorms embedded in the line out to the west of d.c. heads up for your afternoon practices. some showers and storms in the forecast. these are going to continue rolling through overnight. we'll still probably be watching one or two showers and thunderstorms around the region. into wednesday morning we go. we're still stuck with the showers. by the time we get into the afternoon, this is going to dry out and thursday with just a mix of clouds and sun should be okay. what we need to focus on though is the fact that tomorrow from pennsylvania through maryland and virginia west of 95 down to southern virginia and into north carolina, there's a slight risk that some of the

storms we see tomorrow could be strong to severe. hail and gusty winds. we need to watch that. we have had 12 confirmed touchdowns from last week's storms. we take these things seriously. fredericksburg at 82. our evening will be delightful. you can see that contrast in temperatures with places like chicago. it is going to be a cool shot that comes behind our frontal system and swings through late tomorrow night. we'll recover as the week goes on. spotty shower possible. 62 degrees tonight. tomorrow a lot of sunshine. most of the day totally dry. late evening around 6:00. showers and a line of thunderstorms possible. 82. feeling kind of summer like there. here is your 5-day forecast. 82 to 62 on wednesday. i think thursday looks decent. might be a couple showers around on friday at 70 and saturday 71. not exactly a streak of great weather, but it's not bad. we just have to dodge a few showers and storms.

coming up, the caps have dug themselves a hole. 

good evening. the capitals are treading on dangerous water. not uncharted. two years ago they lost their first two home games to the rangers on home ice and came back to win in 7 games. it could happen. last night the caps trailed the lightning 2-1. they go empty net and get the extra attacker. it works. in front of the net. buries it and ties it at 2. we go to overtime. wow. but in the ot, the lightnings' randy jones turns his head. they notice the line change. he sends the puck up the ice. they net the winner. the caps fall 3-2. now trail in

the series 2-0. >> if we can go to tampa and win that first one, you never know what's going to happen. the series is just beginning. >> we have an opportunity to do what they just did to us and that's win two games in their building. go to work tomorrow night and take it from there. >> game 3 tomorrow night in tampa. 7 p.m. defending u.s. open champ gram mcdowel played at congressional today at the first time. the front 9 beat him up, but he regrouped on the back. today was media day. it will be the third time the u.s. open will be held on that course. mcdowel tweeted today when no one will break par. i asked how the success of

winning the open last year changed his life. >> i have a great family. i come from a normal family. my mom and dad aren't opposed to give me a clip on the ear if i need one. i just chill and be a normal person. just enjoy the normal life. >> he is a good guy. paul hewitt is a good coach. today introduced as the new head basketball coach. he spent the last few years at georgia tech before being fired last month.

gnats finish up their series tonight. it's military appreciation tonight at the park. one last look at the 5-day forecast. >> some pretty big swings in temperature this week. tomorrow the warmest day of the rest of the week. it also might feature a shower and maybe a strong thunderstorm any time after 5 or 6. wednesday we cool off quite a bit. 62 degrees. we'll have some showers around in the morning. rest of the week settles down. >> the news is always on at myfoxdc.com. back here tonight at 10. have a fantastic night. pnua .ui.